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Judge tosses suit linked to Peanut Island stabbing

A judge has dismissed a $200,000 lawsuit against Palm Beach County filed by a man who said he was held underwater and stabbed at a Peanut Island party on Memorial Day weekend in 2013. Jefferson Guiste, now 32, had sued in September 2014, claiming the county didn’t provide enough a law enforcement presence at the event. Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Thomas Barkdull dismissed the case Aug. 7.

Palm Beach County Attorney Denise Nieman said Friday in an email to county commissioners that she was “happy to report” the dismissal. Guiste’s lawyer couldn’t be reached late Friday.

The 3-day Memorial Day weekend is notorious for drawing large crowds to Peanut Island and a nearby sand bar. Not everyone behaves. During the 2013 weekend, authorities made more than 30 arrests, eight for underage drinking and seven for boating or driving under the influence. Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputies reported they issued 127 boating citations, one traffic citation and 487 verbal and written warnings and broke up more than one fight.

A man who was hit over the head with a bottle and was cut on his upper arm is helped onto a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s boat after he was involved in a fight during Memorial Day weekend at Peanut Island, May 26, 2013. It’s not known if the man is Jefferson Guiste (staff photo/Gary Coronado)